• Be enrolled at McMaster
• International students must be enrolled in Level II or higher
• Submit a completed application by the bursary deadline
• OSAP students who receive an income update request must complete it by the income update deadline
• Continue to demonstrate financial need throughout the study period
• OSAP is used to demonstrate financial need. ONLY undergraduate students in the following groups will be considered for a bursary without an OSAP application:
  • Indigenous Students
  • International Students
  • Students with OSAP government aid restrictions include:
    • Academic progress restriction
    • Income verification restriction
    • Provincial and/or federal default restriction
    • Credit check restriction
  • Students with a disability taking a reduced course load
  • Students with Out-of-Province Student Aid
  • Part-time Students
  • Students receiving social assistance

What is the MAPS Bursary?

This bursary provides non-repayable tuition and book assistance to part-time students who demonstrate financial need and do not qualify for OSAP. This includes students in degree programs AND certificate/diploma programs through McMaster Centre for Continuing Education (CCE).

The McMaster Association for Part-Time Students (MAPS) generously donates the funding for this program. Primarily available to those receiving social assistance, the MAPS bursary program aids those who are economically disadvantaged.

Additional financial resources are required as the MAPS Bursary is not a means of covering the full cost of your education. You are required to enrol and pay for your courses before receiving MAPS Bursary funding.

The value of the MAPS Bursary varies each term. Limited bursaries are available.

Who can apply?

You can apply for the MAPS Bursary if you are:

• Economically disadvantaged
• Taking a part-time degree OR diploma/certificate program
• Ineligible for OSAP

Ineligible for the MAPS Bursary:

• Not economically disadvantaged
• No demonstration of financial need according to online aid application
• Entitled to OSAP for Part-Time Students
• Enrolled in a full-time course load

How to apply

Follow the step-by-step instructions under the “How to apply” tab to fill out your common application in AwardSpring.

• Enrol and pay for your courses before applying for MAPS Bursary funding.
• Complete your common application on AwardSpring (once per academic year)
• Complete the MAPS Bursary application for either undergraduate part-time students or continuing education (CCE) students
• Complete the 4-month budget for the study period (e.g. fall enrolment > September to December)
• Enrol in direct deposit
• You need to submit a new MAPS Bursary for each term (fall, winter, spring/summer)
• Incomplete applications will not be considered

2020-2021 MAPS deadlines

What is the Summer Undergraduate Bursary?

This new bursary program is available in the spring/summer term for students completing the majority of their undergraduate program as a full-time student.

• Open to Canadian citizens or permanent residents only
• Intended to assist with additional costs associated with spring/summer courses and/or unpaid work placements required for degree completion
• Second-degree students are eligible to apply
• Limited funding is available
• Payments will be made in two installments: one in the spring session, one in the summer session

How to apply

• Follow the instructions under the “How to apply” tab
• Find the Summer Undergraduate Bursary application under the ‘Follow-up’ tab in AwardSpring.

What is the Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD)?

The Bursary for Students with Disabilities provides financial aid to students self-identifying as having either permanent or temporary disabilities. Funded by the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), this bursary assists with the costs of disability-related services or equipment, such as tutors, note-takers, interpreters, braillers or technical aids that are required to participate in postsecondary studies.

Who is eligible for BSWD?

Full-time and part-time students who:

• Self-identify as having a permanent or temporary disability on the OSAP application
• Have disability-related educational costs for services or equipment that are not covered by another agency or service
• Require these services/equipment to participate in post-secondary studies
• Have discussed accommodations with Student Accessibility Services

How to verify your disability

The OSAP Disability Verification Form is the only acceptable proof of disability.

Upload a completed OSAP Disability Verification Form (PDF) to verify your status as a student with a permanent disability.

Why self-identify as a student with a disability with OSAP?

• You can apply for OSAP for Full-Time Students at a 40% course load
• You can choose between OSAP for Full-Time Students or OSAP for Part Time Students with a 40-59% course load
• You could receive the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities
• You may be considered for the bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD) if accommodations are needed

How to apply

1. Apply for OSAP for Full-Time Students or OSAP for Part-Time Students and self-identify as a student with a permanent disability
2. Upload your OSAP Disability Verification Form through your OSAP portal
3. Meet with Student Accessibility Services (SAS) to discuss accommodations and complete the BSWD application not later that 60 days before the study period end date on your current OSAP application. 
4. SAS sends the BSWD application to Student Services
5. Application is processed if eligible
6. Bursary funding is credited to the McMaster student account
7. Student Accounts pays the BSWD funding via cheque or direct deposit depending on your preference in Mosaic. Direct deposit is the fastest and most secure way to receive your funding – enrol in direct deposit.
8. Purchase equipment or services and upload receipt(s) to the MacDrive link listed in your approval letter by the deadline.

Your commitment

Make sure you:

• Upload your complete OSAP Disability Verification Form through the OSAP website
• Update your mailing address on Mosaic
• Enrol in direct deposit to have the bursary funding deposited in your bank account
• Purchase all approved items/services once the bursary is received
• Upload your receipt(s) via MacDrive verifying the payment of all items within 30 days (all ongoing services by the end of the term)
• Repay any unused portion of the BSWD

BSWD FAQs

When can I purchase BSWD funded items or services?

Purchases may be made after your BSWD application is approved. Services such as tutoring or note taking should not take place prior to the application approval. Any purchases of items and services made before the application is approved may not be reimbursed.

Will BSWD cover the cost of a learning disability or a psycho-educational assessment?

If you are eligible for BSWD, you may be reimbursed for one diagnostic assessment, in a given loan year, as deemed necessary by a Disability Coordinator in Student Accessibility Services (SAS). Students are required to meet with a Disability Coordinator in SAS for BSWD-approval before completing the assessment.

Can I use BSWD to help pay for tuition or books?

No. BSWD funding is intended to assist students with very specific disability-related educational needs. The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities requires that every dollar of BSWD funding be accounted for with receipts verifying the purchase of the item or service that was approved by the Disability Coordinator.

Is the Canada Student Grant for Persons with Permanent Disabilities the same as BSWD?

The Canada Student Grant for Persons with Permanent Disabilities is a federal OSAP grant. Eligibility for the grant is automatically determined through the full-time or part-time OSAP application process. The maximum value of the grant is $4,000 per academic year. It displaces $4,000 of OSAP federal loan with non-repayable grant funding. Students must self-identify as having a permanent disability on the OSAP application and qualify for funding to receive this grant.

Should students with permanent disabilities apply for full-time or part-time OSAP?

If you have permanent disabilities, and you are taking more than 40% and less than 60% of a full course load in each term, you have a choice of applying for OSAP as a part time or full-time student. It is recommended that you speak with a Student Services Professional for help deciding which program meets your financial needs.

Step 1: Log in to AwardSpring through Mosaic

• Click the “AwardSpring” tile on your homepage.
• Log in to AwardSpring using your MacID and password.

You can view a listing of all the aid & awards offered by McMaster and the corresponding application deadlines under the Scholarships tab.

Step 2: Start your application

• To start your application, click on the “Application Tab”
• There are six sections you will need to complete as part of your common application

Privacy: Read the privacy statement to understand how your information will be used. If you have any questions, you can connect with Student Services for more information. Click the Next Step button to continue with your application.

Application Tips & Personal Information: Please review the application tips before continuing.

• Complete the voluntary self-identification questions as they apply to you.
• AwardSpring pulls some of your contact information from Mosaic so the questions you are asked may differ from a friends’. 

Academic Information: The Academic Information tab is quick and easy – we’ll pull most of your program information from Mosaic.

Financial Information: If you would like to be considered for need based opportunities such as bursaries and the work program, select “Yes” to the first question, and complete all questions on the Financial Information tab. 

If you do not wish to be considered for awards based on financial need, select “No” to the first question, and click the Next tab to continue.

Qualification Questions: In this tab, you will have the opportunity to tell us more about yourself. Please note that your responses won’t impact the amount you are eligible for, only the sources it comes from.

Consents & Declarations: Read and complete this final section and submit your common application.

Tip: You won’t able to click submit until all the required questions in each sections are complete. 

Once submitted, you will be directed back to your Dashboard where you will see the number of scholarships to which you have been automatically applied and your applications requiring a follow-up. 

Uploading documents:

Please save your documents as one PDF and ensure there are no foreign characters in the file name, as it will prevent the file from opening.

For our fillable forms, complete the form and select File > Print. Choose Adobe PDF as the printer in the Print dialog box. Click Print. Name your file, and save it to your computer. Upload the completed document to AwardSpring.

Step 3: Monitor your application

Once submitted, you will be directed back to your Dashboard where you will see the number of scholarships to which you have been automatically applied and your applications requiring a follow-up. 

You can go back and update your answers as needed until the deadline date!

Application Statuses:

• Applied: Your application is complete and submitted.
• Denied: You no longer meet General Bursary Program eligibility requirements (i.e. if you withdraw prior to the application deadline, you will be removed from the applicant pool, or if you have a significant change in financial status)
• Approved: If you continue to meet all eligibility requirements when the application period closes in January, your application status will appear as Awarded ($1).  This does not mean that you are guaranteed bursary funding but that your application is undergoing a final assessment in Mosaic.

To apply for a bursary: 

1. Complete and submit the common application. Be sure you’ve selected ‘Yes’ the first question under the Financial Information tab
2. Navigate to Items Requiring Completion on your Dashboard and search for the ‘The General Bursary Program for Undergraduate Students’.
3. Click ‘Complete Follow-Up‘ and review the overview and qualification information.
4. Write out your response to the short answer question and submit your application.

Tip: Use a word processing software like Google Docs, Word or Pages to type your essay questions. Be sure to proof read and spellcheck. When you are satisfied with your response, copy and paste into the appropriate question box in your application.

Please disregard the value listed on the bursary application in AwardSpring; this is a placeholder amount. If your bursary application is successful, you will find the value listed in your Mosaic Student Center.

Uploading documents:

Please save your documents as a PDF and ensure there are no foreign characters in the file name, as it will prevent the file from opening. 

For our fillable forms, complete the form and select File > Print. Choose Adobe PDF as the printer in the Print dialog box. Click Print. Name your file, and save it to your computer. Upload the completed document to AwardSpring.

To apply for a scholarship: 

1. Complete and submit the common application. 
2. Log in to AwardSpring when scholarship applications open on Jan 1 and navigate to your Dashboard. You will find opportunities you’ve been automatically applied to and opportunities that have additional requirements once the application opens.
3. For each award, click ‘Complete Follow-Up‘ and read the overview and qualification information.
4. Complete the additional requirements and click ‘Submit Application’ to apply.

Tip: Awards share the same requirements (i.e. a reference letter or statement of interest) across all applications with the same criteria to save you time. 

Uploading documents:

Please save your documents as a PDF and ensure there are no foreign characters in the file name, as it will prevent the file from opening. 

For our fillable forms, complete the form and select File > Print. Choose Adobe PDF as the printer in the Print dialog box. Click Print. Name your file, and save it to your computer. Upload the completed document to AwardSpring.

Reference letter process: Fill in the recipient information to request a reference letter directly through AwardSpring. It is important that you contact your referee before sending the request to get their approval.

Once you’ve applied, check your dashboard to find out what you’ve been automatically applied for and what opportunities have additional requirements. 

What’s great about AwardSpring is that you can share the same requirements (i.e. a reference letter or statement of interest) across all applications with the same criteria!

Monitor your dashboard regularly and be sure to add awardspring.ca to your ‘safe senders’ list to receive status updates via email.

If you receive an award, the value will not be listed in AwardSpring, but in your Mosaic Student Center.

Bursaries and most scholarships are paid directly to your McMaster student account and can be viewed in your Mosaic Student Centre. If there is a credit on your account after it is applied to your tuition and certain fees, the amount with be refunded to your personal bank account. 

Have questions about AwardSpring? Ask us here!

McMaster encourages award recipients to take the time to express appreciation to your award donor(s), by writing a personal thank you letter. Your letter is important – the individuals and organizations who fund student awards truly appreciate hearing about your accomplishments, goals, and plans for the future.

Letter template

Use the following template should be used to structure your thank you letter:

Thank you letter template (pdf)

Save the pdf to your computer, and then edit it using your preferred pdf editor (Adobe, Preview, etc).

Please note that inserting a photo into your letter is optional. If you do not want to include a photo, leave the photo box on the upper right blank.

Uploading your letter

How to upload your letter to AwardSpring (awards by application): 

• Once you have been awarded a scholarship, log in to AwardSpring and access your Dashboard.
• Under the items requiring completion, find your award and click “Complete follow up.” If your award requires a thank you letter, you’ll be asked to submit one.
• Write your thank you letter using our downloadable template.
• Click “Upload File” to upload your letter. 
• Once uploaded, select “Submit Follow-up” and you’ll be re-directed to your Dashboard.

How to upload your letter to MacDrive (all other awards):

McMaster’s Virtual drop box, MacDrive, allows you to easily and securely submit documents like your donor thank you letter.

• Write your thank you letter using the downloadable template above.
• Save your PDF as Firstname_Lastname_awardname.pdf
• Select ‘Add Files’, and then browse for your document
• Select the file and click OK. A successful upload has an ‘uploaded’ notification displayed on the screen.

Important:

• Please do not upload photos of your letter
• Only upload your document once
• Need confirmation the upload was successful? You can email sdintern@mcmaster.ca.

By submitting your thank you letter you are authorizing your student information, your photo, as well as any quotes taken from your thank you letter to be used in future stewardship materials and university communications such as McMaster newsletters. You are acknowledging that your letter may be edited before delivery to a donor, and you are releasing McMaster from any responsibility regarding how a donor may choose to use or publish your letter. If you choose to include your address, phone number and/or e-mail address you should be aware that the university will have no control over the donor’s use of this information.

2020-21 Fall/Winter Bursary Dates – Undergrads

2020-21 Summer Bursary Dates – Undergrads

2020-21 Bursary Dates – Grad Students

2020-21 Bursary Dates – Medicine Students

* Physician Assistant Students will be assessed at the same time (No application required)

2020-21 Bursary Dates – MBA Students

*MBA students can apply for the MBA Bursary and the McMaster General Bursary Program. See Graduate Student dates for McMaster General Bursary Program deadlines.

2020-21 Travel & Exchange Scholarship Dates

2020-21 Undergraduate In-Course Scholarship Dates

2020-21 Graduating Students Scholarship Dates

2020-21 Community Contribution Scholarship Dates

2020-21 Rhodes Scholarship Dates

2020-21 Renaissance Scholarship Dates

2020-21 Killam Scholarship Dates